'CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story': 7 highlights from the VH1 biopic

Heartbreak. Abortion. Fame. Sickle-cell anemia. Financial struggles. Internal group conflict. While there were a couple of off-key moments, overall, VH1 nailed it with CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, which premiered Monday night. Starring Keke Palmer, Drew Sidora, and Lil’ Mama as the celebrated R&B trio, the biopic portrayed the group’s rise to fame. It was so realistic, at one point, I thought I was watching the actual group members play themselves.

Here are seven of the most memorable moments from the TV movie:

1. Left Eye’s phone call home: How heartbreaking. Left Eye was just on the cusp of her big break when she received the tragic news that her father had died.

2. Perri “Pebbles” Reid: Could you believe how much of a tyrant Pebbles was as a manager to the girls? A weekly stipend of $25! You thought Michael Jackson had it bad. And to think, Reid held auditions for a replacement for Chilli right before the video shoot for “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” – all because Pebbles thought she was “loose.”

3. The wrath of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Did you see the fire in Left Eye’s pupils when she lit that match to burn all those fresh-white Nike sneakers?

4. The financial breakdown: “Everyone get ready to do your math!” Left Eye’s structuring of the group’s finances were just, wow, sad to hear again, much like in their Behind the Music episode. It makes you think: Where was an accountant when all this went down?

5. Raiding Clive Davis’ office: TLC only made $50,000 a year after selling 10 million copies of CrazySexyCool. I don’t blame them for storming the record exec’s office.

6. Left Eye turns down touring: Talk about being your sister’s keeper. I commend T-Boz and Chilli for letting Left Eye pursue her goal of spiritual cleansing, even if it meant the group walked away from a $25 million tour advance. Yikes!

7. Creating “Meant to Be”: It was sweet to see T-Boz and Chilli in the studio creating musical magic. All those clips were so nostalgic.